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Earlier today a press junket for the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was held in London. There, the cast and crew gathered to answer questions about the newest film and share insight on many topics related to the film. Lorie Damerell covered this event for The Leaky Cauldron and her report of the press conference follows below. Thank you Lorie!

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Press Junket
June 21, 2007

By Lorie Damerell for The Leaky Cauldron

At the press conference for “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” in London, someone asks the main trio of actors whether there are any initiation rituals for the arrival of a new director. (Emma Watson says no.) It’s an interesting opening for a press conference that discusses so many things, first interviewing Rupert, Dan, and Emma, and later Michael Goldenberg, David Heyman, and David Yates, and which ends up delving into the darker elements of the fifth Harry Potter story. Despite so many diverse questions, there are recurrent themes; themes of love, friendship, and honesty.

Emma is asked about her deliberation over signing up for the sixth and seventh movies. She makes it clear, that like the character that she plays, learning is important. ‘I really want to go onto university’ she tells the audience, and reiterates how fortunate she is that Warner Brothers is so accommodating for her, arranging tutors for her on set, allowing her to go to school on Mondays, and even providing a service so that she can send work off to be marked over the weekends. She also confesses that she found the rumours surrounding the lack of immediate signing ‘frustrating and upsetting.’ Her love of learning was obviously tempered by her love for her character.

Daniel speaks of how they have all grown up with their characters and whilst he does not know whether ‘Harry as a character has influenced my character a lot,’ Emma tells us that ‘sometimes I feel I barely have to act,’ because she grew up with Hermione. But it is hard to judge how closely they are each influenced by their characters, Emma says, because ‘we can’t see ourselves from the outside.’

Unfortunately, Daniel could. In the fifth film there is a memory scene of Harry from the first film. Daniel was in an audience where he heard a ‘load of girls go “Ahhh!” – something he describes as ‘soul-destroying!’

Have they pre-ordered the next book, or do they already have the necessary information from J. K. Rowling, another journalist asks. Daniel suspects that J. K. Rowling’s husband may have had a preview but that they certainly had not. They know J. K. Rowling very well so that even asking for an autograph would be awkward. Well, not for Rupert. ‘I actually did!’ he says, referring to when he first met J. K. Rowling and had Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone signed.

Just as Rupert is lucky enough to have a signed book, he is also fortunate enough to own an ice-cream van, all stocked up, something he calls ‘brilliant!’ Daniel owns that he has not indulged quite so much despite many rumours about wanting to buy a Fiat Punto in a very special shade of green. ‘I would like to point out,’ he says, ‘I have never bought ’ or intend to ’ a fiat Punto!’ Emma is learning to drive. She finds getting into a car really ‘intimidating,’ which is rather similar to her character’s feelings on flying.

Talk turns to acting again. Do the actors desire to leave any message with their acting? ‘Oooh,’ is the collective response which leads Emma to talk about Harry’s journey and the importance of friendship, particularly as illuminated in the fifth film. Friendship ‘gives him something to fight for’ she says, and Daniel backs her up: Harry’s journey is about sticking to your guns if you know that you’re right and what you’re representing to the truth, you ‘can’t let yourself be compromised.’ And the way that Rupert, Daniel, and Emma, almost as a unit, answer the audience’s questions, illustrates a real-life friendship.

But what if their characters die? Rupert would not mind ‘if it was a really cool scene’ for him to act but Emma has not ‘really contemplated it’ as yet, taking it for granted that Hermione will survive the series. They speak of the closure that many fans desire when they read the final book installation; indeed, Daniel thinks that Harry’s death would be ‘fitting’ and that he thinks Harry might die, ‘but that’s based on absolutely nothing’ even if there are bets being placed on the death of the boy hero. ‘There are bets?’ Emma interjects loudly, ‘you serious?!’

The fifth Harry Potter story sees the emergence of Dumbledore’s Army with Harry at the helm. All three really enjoyed acting out the scenes; Rupert because of the stunts he was able to do, including taking on Hermione and losing, whereas Harry explored his inner Henry V, thoroughly enjoying turning his character into a leader, even if Yates did tell him to ‘”reign it in a bit”.’ But acting on the set itself was less enjoyable. Mirrors on every wall and a huge roaring fireplace meant that the room looked amazing, but was incredibly hot. But ‘we weren’t cruelly treated,’ Daniel says.

Instead he found himself pushed harder than ever in this film. After many takes David Yates would tell him that he could improve or that what he had just done did not seem real enough. At times Daniel felt that he could not do it, but ‘I could,’ he insists. And the film shows that he can. Daniel felt that he needed a challenge and he got one in Yates. Emma watched all of Yates’s other work; ‘oh my goodness!’ she says, for it ‘really made me feel something’ and she knew that his standards were very high. Not so high, however, that the three did not fall in love with him. Daniel describing him as a ‘lovely man’, a ‘delightful man’, and ‘this fantastic director’; he even suggested breaking Yates’s legs whilst he was sat in his director’s chair ‘so he can never leave!’ Yates, Rupert says, was ‘a contrast to Mike Newell’, being ‘a lot more relaxed.’

How has the audience changed over the course of the five films, someone asks. There is a varied audience but ‘always a good sort of feedback’, Rupert explains. Daniel elaborates, saying that there is an element of uniqueness that Harry Potter attracts such a ‘huge range of people.’ One day Emma is asked for an autograph by a young child, the next day someone who is thirty or forty. But perhaps most special of all is that just as the actors have grown up with their characters, they have also grown up with their initial audience.

With an audience comes fame, so how do the actors deal with it? Emma makes a comparison to Harry, who is a nobody for the first part of his life and is then thrown into a world where everybody knows who he is. For her, however, it is a lot easier as she feels she has ‘never known anything different’ to being a child actor and as she has grown up in this environment it has built up her confidence. She is ‘really well looked after’ by those with whom she works, but they ‘all have really strong families’ around them. Quite unlike Harry, and it obviously helps.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix features a Harry known to many fans as Capslock!Harry; he’s angsty, he’s hormonal and he’s a teenager. So what, the three are asked, are Harry’s bad points? Realistically Daniel points out that everybody has bad points; Harry lashes out at his friends because he knows that they will be there for him in spite of it. Daniel also thinks that Harry is, to an extent, selfish because Harry feels that he is this ‘great defender’ and should ‘cut himself off’ from those who care about him. There is some merit, he continues, in what Snape has to say about Harry inheriting from his father: his arrogance. Emma is more tolerant. She lists all that Harry has had to put up with, including the Dursleys who are ‘anyone’s worst nightmare’, and surmises that it’s amazing Harry has not gone completely off the rails. ‘He’s a survivor’, ‘she says, ‘a fighter’. And Daniel reminds us of something J. K. Rowling once said, that if you didn’t understand Harry’s anger in the fifth book then you haven’t understood what he has been through in the previous four books and Harry’s right to feel angry.

And what were their favourite scenes from the latest film? Rupert really enjoyed the scene in the Hall of Prophecies, which was shot entirely in green room. Daniel is content with anything so long as it isn’t on a broomstick ‘for fairly obvious reasons,’ but there is a clear agreement that all of them thoroughly enjoyed the scene immediately following Harry’s kiss with Cho Chang. ‘I was on the floor, just laughing, like ¦ laughing’ Emma says; and most notable was that it was all natural. The laughter shared between Harry, Ron, and Hermione at that point was the same sort of laughter shared between the friends Daniel, Rupert, and Emma. It was simply just a genuine episode of giggling. After Rupert, Daniel, and Emma have left and Goldenberg, Heyman, and Yates have entered, this scene is mentioned again.

The second half of the conference takes a slightly different tone as the producer, director, and screenwriter take questions, the first of which dives in at the deep end: what was their biggest challenge in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix? Yates answers; it was about making choices about what to cut out in the adaptive process for it was a ‘huge book to condense’. He wanted a story which ‘felt organic’, that ‘felt cohesive’ and was not episodic with a successful story arc. And what was that arc? It was Harry’s journey. As the three actors had already mention, it was about a young wizard ‘isolated and misunderstood’ under an ‘intrusive political regime’. He says that it is something ‘Jo captures beautifully in the book’ and he wanted, as a fan, to do it justice.

How much did they work with J. K. Rowling? She was ‘a dream collaborator’, says Heyman. During the film Harry enters a room whose walls are entirely covered by the Black family tree tapestry; it was something which needed detail, something that needed ‘to be more than four or five names.’ All it took was a telephone call to the author, for fifteen minutes later she gave them a family tree with seventy-five names covering five generations, birth dates, marriage dates and family exorcisms.

Later it is asked whether there were any conflicting visions and how they were reconciled and the three demonstrate their love of the books. There were no conflicting visions because they were all building from the same foundations, it ‘all comes from the books’, Heyman explains, and if there were any uncertainties they would contact J. K. Rowling. Indeed, she would even point out to them any potential errors. There had at one point been the threat of writing out one of the characters, but J. K. Rowling said that if they then attempted to work on the seventh story, it would have them ‘tied in knots’; the character stayed but Heyman has left fans guessing as to which character this was.

Goldenberg is then asked about his own work as screenwriter. ‘It wasn’t as daunting as it might appear’ he tells. The book had a ‘basic narrative’ and was ‘pretty self-contained’. It was a ‘process of finding Harry’s story’ the spine of which was Harry’s emotional voyage. It was not as simple as just going with the first draft, however. Such perfectionists were Goldenberg, Heyman, and Yates that they were continually revising the script ‘right up until the last day of shooting’. And it was the atmosphere created by the likes of Heyman which enabled this. Yates felt that he was in a ‘very secure and creative environment’.

Heyman had the enthusiasm of a fifteen year old and ‘that spirit is infectious.’ Daniel had already mentioned how he had been challenged by Yates and in detailing how the actors had developed throughout the course of filming, Yates divulges that he ‘pushed all of them a lot’ in making his film. Daniel always ‘loved to turn something on a sixpence’ he says, and ‘really embraced’ his opportunities. Yates even went so far as to bring in for a few hours a bereavement counsellor to talk with Daniel about how people react to traumatic losses, so that the actor might understand what his character felt after seeing Cedric murdered. It is with a certain amount of pride that Yates talks of Daniel asking ‘really bright questions’ and having an ‘amazingly vivid imagination’ which permitted him to parallel the real world and the experiences of his character.

For it is a darker film. In addition to Harry’s own inner demons that he must fight, he must also contend with an increasingly oppressive Ministry of Magic and, in particular, Dolores Umbridge. The film addresses ‘politics with a small “p”’, says Yates. Heyman acknowledges that there are ‘threads of Nazism and racism’; the totalitarian regime is encapsulated by the very Soviet-looking banner of Cornelius Fudge seen in the Atrium of the Ministry.

Imelda Staunton, who Yates describes as ‘a bloody good actor, actually’ does an amazing job of bringing Dolores Umbridge to life. Umbridge in the film is quite terrifying as her true feelings cannot be truly seen, making her rather unpredictable. She is a many layered character and ‘Imelda got all of that,’ Yates says appraisingly. Umbridge is cruel and her detention with Harry Yates recalls as having a ‘slightly religious’ feel to it, cleaning Harry of his sins. It is a ‘subtle form of abuse’. Does this make a frightening film? Of course it does. But ‘did you never enjoy being scared as a kid?’ argues Yates. As a child he thoroughly loved being scared. It makes children feel ‘vital and alive’ and he feels that it is important that ‘children aren’t patronized’. Yates explains that they showed the film to a group of very young children in Chicago, all abuzz with youth, caffeine and sugar, and yet the energy and lack of patronization in the film was enough to quieten them for over two hours.

But just as this story is about Harry overcoming the evils and hardships of the world through love and friendship, so too do Goldenberg, Heyman, and Yates speak about the strengths of family and friendship. Harry’s first kiss with Cho was an important scene, not just because of its function in the storyline and Harry’s development as a teenager, but for what it meant for the crew and the lead actor. Yates cleared the set of all those who were not crucial because ‘everyone wants to gawp’ as in any sex-related scene and he wanted it ‘to be as tender and as true as possible.’ And it was. Daniel’s make-up and costume assistants were both rendered quite emotional by seeing ‘someone they loved very much snogging for the first time’; and the ‘someone’ was Daniel, not Harry. It was the familial bond of the crew that made the scene extra-special for those involved, just as the bond of friendship between Rupert, Daniel, and Emma made the following scene similarly particular. They all knew each other so well that, to some extent, the script was abandoned and the three just improvised. Yates ‘just encouraged them’ to act out their giggles. ‘That is not acting,’ Heyman says, ‘they were just being.’ Which is probably why Yates says, ‘I’m very proud of that scene.’

And whilst the fandom looks forward to the seventh and final book of the Harry Potter series, Yates has the added bonus of being able to look forward to directing Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. He ‘had such a nice time making this film’ that he does not yet have the desire to depart from a ‘very difficult world to leave’. Alfonso Cuaron and Mike Newell were both asked back to direct the fourth and fifth films respectively but, Heyman says, they did not have the stamina for it. Yates has the ‘fortitude and strength to carry on.’ Harry Potter is, as we all would probably agree, a ‘dream experience’ and Heyman continues to say that whilst making a film is about the audience, making a Harry Potter film is about ‘doing their best’ because they all love Harry Potter ‘it’s a passion’. And, hopefully, this love and passion held by everyone, for Harry Potter the character, and Harry Potter the concept and journey, will be seen in the film when it hits the big screen.

85 Responses to TLC’s “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” Press Junket Report

says:

THAT’S BRILLIANT!!
Thanks guys. What about pics? : I’ve seen 4 so far, can’t wait for more.
Great report.

says:

sounds great! I cannot WAIT for july 11th!! omg omg omg

says:

Hmmm I wonder which character Jo said needed to stay in or they would have problems with movie 7. My guess is either Kreacher or Grawp (since they would be relatively easy cuts and expensive CG).

Great interviews! I am truly looking forward to this film.

says:

I wonder if the character they wanted to write out was Kreacher

says:

KREACHER!!! The character they were thinking about cutting but Jo said not to, it just has to be Kreacher!

says:

It will be Dumbledore’s brother Aberforth (inn keeper at the Hogs Head), not Kreacher, who will be important in book 7 (and who could easily have been cut from film 5 if they didn’t know better).

says:

KREACHER KREACHER KREACHER!

says:

It will be Dumbledore’s brother Aberforth (inn keeper at the Hogs Head), not Kreacher, who will be important in book 7 (and who could easily have been cut from film 5 if they didn’t know better).

says:

I vote Kreacher as well. Apparently he doesn’t have an active role in the plot in the film version, and that’s why I think it’s him. Grawp at least beats up the centaurs for Hermione and Harry, and this gives him a purpose in the plot. We know how much they like to stay away from house-elves, so I always thought they meant him.

says:

Rupert Grint – white van man. Discuss.

says:

Well considering on the UK cover of DH, there is an arm holding a sword, that looks like it might belong to a house elve. So I think it’s Kreacher

says:

They were probably keen on cutting Kreacher AND Aberforth, you guys…

And this also says something for Mundungus’s role in Book 7, wouldn’t you agree?

Great report Lori. But does anyone have more pictures? I’ev only seen 4 as well.

says:

Thanks for this! I really enjoyed reading it, it’s great to see they are very good friends and they have so much chemistry, I laughed so much with what Daniel said about the flashback, that’s was exactly what I thought when I saw it in one of the trailers: awwww

About that misterios character… I agree it can be Kreacher, or Aberforth, but the oen I would have cut off is Grawp, so I think the were talked about him. :S

says:

I love the interview and i saw only 4 pics!
oh and i just behind the scene stuff from et!!!!
wooo hoo and umbridge looked soo good!!!
woo hoo cant wait too see ootp!!

says:

hey great review…if we could only get a transcript..:)
it’s just that sometimes i couldn’t understand what they where saying, and somehow daniel and rupert’s voices have gone a bit similar, so i couldn’t tell who was talking, and since you were there, you’ll know ;)

says:

catiram, it’s easy, when people are laughing that means the one talking was Daniel, he has a great sense of humor. Plus, Emma talks quite a bit but Rupert doesn’t talk much. But all 3 of them have a great chemistry with each other, it’s beautiful. I haven’t seen the audio clips here, I saw them in other site, and you are right the sound was not very good, it would be great if Leaky could upload better clips. But Lorie’s report is great! I really liked it, it’s very well written.
Thanks Lorie!

And I think they were talking about Grawp or Kreacher!!

says:

THANK YOU SO SOO MUCH LORIE!

that was a fantastic piece of writing. I adore the fact the everyone around her are just committed to things they love.

says:

Thanks for the coverage! Only 18 more days, guys!

says:

more pics please! But these are gorgeous. Dan is taller and hey, back to clean shaven,innocent looking Harry again. He still looks handsome but I miss the stubble. And Emma is Whoa!, very sexy in a backless dress. (and still hanging on Dan in these pics)And Rupert’s “ice cream man” comment is very funny. He does talk more in this interview. And lots of laughter when he talks. The most talkative of the trio is Emma. Dan gentlemanly just confirms whatever she says.

says:

that scene after the kiss sounds like it will be funny and very entertaining to watch…can’t wait to see it!

Dan = such a relief to have our clean Harry again. No damage left from doing Equus apparently. Just an improved actor’s reputation and still looking as handsome as ever. and the kid actually seems taller.. and more casual. That salesman outfit during the last presscon was not “age appropriate”.

Emma = more confident, more sexy, very daring black dress. She’ll be a talking point of the media again. (She certainly is the talkingest among the trio.) But what’s with all the hanging on Dan? It’s not a duo Emma, don’t leave out the other part of the trio.

Rupert = same facial expression but actualy talked more this year. Very funny “ice cream man” comment. And very true. If his last solo movie is any indication, he won’t make it outside of the HP franchise. So the ice cream van is a good thing to fall back on. lol

says:

Where are the pics from the junket?

says:

Yeah, I agree with those who think that character was either Grawp or Aberforth Dumbledore. I think Kreacher was an important character. Though they may have felt that they could do without him.

says:

Kreacher i agree…but what about FIRENZE or shacklebolt?

says:

Fabulous interview! The more I read, the more I’m sure they’ve got it right this time. I can’t wait to see this movie!

says:

jasmine, actually the one who talks more is Daniel, and he is the one who is making everyone laugh, I say this because maybe you are confusing them, like catiram said Dan’s voice has become stronger (I think it was theatre experience, he is taller too, but I suppose theatre doesn’t do that ;) ) so maybe you think he is not the one talking.

Anyways, I’ve been looking for a transcript, and danradcliffe.com will have one soon, they have the one with Heyman, Yates and Michael already.

Anyways, what I most like is to see how everyone working on these movies love the books so much, and the young actors get on so well, they seem like brothers when you see them and hear them all talking.

Lorie transmits this very well with her wonderful report, so thank you and thanks Leaky!

says:

Thanks, Lorie! This is a fabulous bit of reporting. Excellent summaries that not only give us the content of the interviews, they give us the flavor as well.

says:

Ok, I actually found the full transcript here: danradcliffe.co.uk
Hope it helps!
There is also a new interview with Gary Olman, I sent Leaky the link, hope they post it. :)
So many news, I’ve been waiting all the year for this!
And I think it’s Aberforth !! :P

says:

It’s so nice to hear from Lorie!! Great Job. I also think it could be Kreacher ( the little beast).

says:

What I meant was that Rupert talked more than he did at last year’s presscon where he just mumbled through it all. He’s more relaxed in this one, they all are. The friendship’s firmly in place.But yes, it’s Dan who gave the most info and bless him, still prompts Emma and Rupert if he wants them to talk first. He’s still clearly the leader of the bunch. Emma has become quite articulate but gets enough help from Dan if she goes around in circles (which she did at one point).

says:

Lori,

Loving anything you write. :) A comment for TLC, though. Could that betting comment by Dan be a spoiler? There were accurate bets regarding character death put out from people the town that printed book six, and this information has me concerned.

LS

says:

OMG Dan looks so hot and he did shaved, plus he is getting taller and handsome…
Emma looks so gorgeous and grown up….
Rupert looks are the same laid back!!

good for them that they are having fun!!!

says:

Yup, Dan’s all clean shaven and handsome again. I liked the Equus stubble but Dan looks best with his POA look. And what an inteligent, well read young man. That vietnam war veteran reference was all his idea. And Henry the fifth? How many teenagers today actually know who he is?

In contrast, I expected Emma to take more difficult subjects since she’s supposed to be the brainy one. But “English literature, geography, art and history of art” aren’t exactly difficult subjects. She’ll get straight As again in those ones. Anyways, she can always fall back on her looks. She’s getting prettier and has improved in her dress sense. Very daring sexy dress you’ve got there, Emma.

says:

This was a great interview (would like a transcript though) but Dan wasn’t getting all the laughs! I was glad to hear Rupert speaking up…he seems to have a great sense of humor.
He seems to be opening up more which is great…he seems like a very unique individual in a fun and whimsical kind of way. I already knew Dan was quite interesting…but it’s nice to learn new things about them…they seem like great kids.

says:

Is it only me or is this presscon less spectacular than the GOF presscon? very few pics, no interviews of the cast except for the trio. They included the triwizard champions and Katie before but now, Katie was there at the hotel but wasn’t part of the presscon. They could have had one for Dumbledore’s army. bleh. They must be cutting cost on the marketing budget this time. Besides, the trio is more media magnets now and can give the film some publicity just on the strength of their star power. Or should I say – Dan and Emma. Rupert’s more relaxed and quite funny this time but it’s still Dan and Emma making headlines because of this presscon. Dan has already started. The tabloids are picking up on his quote about JKR telling the ending of the book to her husband. I bet Emma will follow soon. That sexy backless dress will be posted all over the net to be fugged or praised.

ah the trio look so grown up…I wasn’t a Dan fan but wow this boy keeps getting hotter and hotter, and Emma looks so grown up and beautiful, Rupert laid back pose is cute.

says:

Flashback in the 5th film to the FIRST? Huh? The only flashbacks I remember are (in Harry’s dreams) to Cedric’s death and the graveyard scene in book FOUR.

says:

Wow. What a great interview. I love the dinamic between Dan Rupert and Emma. Now I cant wait to see the scene after the kiss. I wasnt really looking foward to “the kiss” but now I want to see them giggeling about it. It sounds like a really fun moment.
Im surprised to hear Dnaiel describe Harry as being selfish and a bit arrogant. That shocks me because Harry has more right then anyone to act that way in this book/film.

says:

Great report, Lorie, loved all the detail – good job! Wouldn’t I luuvvv to get a squiz at that family tree!

says:

Daniel is formally my hottie of the year, the guy looks so fit and handsome, plus what a funny guy, he is not only a pretty face but aslo smart.
Emma looks really nice, she looks very revealing, but very nice!

says:

Kerri, Dan said that too, he remembered what Jo said about people understanding what Harry has lived in the first 4 books and how knowing that, it’s understable that he acts and feels in that way.

WendyE, remember the Occlumency lessons, when Snape enters into Harry’s mind, he sees some of Harry’s memories. In the movie they are flashbacks obviously. :)

says:

I’m not one who cares for what is being said at press junkets generally because often what’s said is too artificial and obviously promotional. But I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one! There really is a sense of family core and care for the franchise and intelligent words spoken from heart by everyone. I sooo look forward to the movie.

says:

Really enjoyed reading this. Thank you.

says:

I’m confused, where are the pix and audio people are talking about?

says:

Found them on danradcliffe.co.uk :-)

Pictures are cool. For those worried that Emma was hanging off Dan….guys they’re going to pose whatever way the photographers ask them to. And of course they’re going to want Emma leaning on Dan.

I can’t wait for the movie! Not long to go now.

says:

This report was great. I almost felt I was there. I’m intrigued by this character they thought of cutting out. But We’ll Know Who in a month!

I’m now looking forward to the kiss scene and aftermath too.

Dan said both things, that Harry had a right to be angry as well as about his arrogance and selfishness. Actually I agree with both statements.

I’m also intrigued by this ice-cream van of Ruperts!

I’m glad Dan’s shaved off his stubble. It looked okay but I prefer to be able to see his face.

says:

I’m not worried about Emma hanging on Dan. They look good together. Two beautiful people – Dan’s classic good looks (thank God he shaved the beard) and Emma’s pretty face and a sexy outfit. But that pose is kinda repetitive. I saw it at Teenvogue and their previous photoshoots. It’s not just the dictates of the photographer. It’s natural for her to do that cause they’re close… but enough already. People are going to get the wrong impression.

BTW, that ice cream van is a toungue in cheek answer. very funny but also quite sad. Based on Rupert’s track record of making solo movies, might be a good idea as an alternative career path. lol

says:

Rupert, you are adorable, LOL! Ice Cream van! LOL! that’s what I call pursuing old dreams, lol. That’s the most thing that I love about him, his natural laid back sense of humor :D

says:

Great interview, very funy, especially that ice cream one, haha

Hey, btw, I don’t think Dan’s gotten any taller, if you notice, he’s standing right in front of the camera, and as erect as an arrow, while Rupe is hanging in the back of the picture and slouching. Which would make Dan looks taller than he realy is, and would make Rupert looks shorter than her really is.

says:

I’ve just seen the pictures on danradcliffe.co.uk and Rupert reminds me so much of Richard Beckinsale (Porridge in the 1970s) but with ginger hair. If you don’t know RB that’s meant as a compliment!

says:

Oh yeah, totally!!! Rupert is like Richard Beckinsale!!!

says:

Q: There are taking bets that Harry is going to die.
Dan: Really, thatâ€™s interesting. The public must really love me
I love this answers:)really this incredible.people wants harry’s die.
and emma and dan so cute and funny.

says:

Hehe, I find it hilarious that when they wanted to make Emma lean into Rupert, they either make him set down, or make him lean down across that table, lol. I suppose he must have gotten really too tall for her, lol.
They don’t seem to have had that problem with Dan though ;)

says:

i dont think they make them lean onto each other. that would be weird, i think they do it themselves.

says:

Minerva’s Fan, actually they are all about the same height, Rupert is not very tall. Emma wouldn’t have any problem.
I think it’s just Emma is always touching Dan in pictures, I suppose they are very close so they don’t mind physical contact, I think it’s very cute.
And HP man, that’s a little too forced, he is just one inch in front. His fans know him so well, believe me they would notice any litle change!

I’ve listened the press conference and there are many funny bits, especially between Dan and Emma.
And it was great to hear David H and David Y talking about Dan, it was very emotional. That’s what I like about this movies, they are all really nice and it’s like a family.

says:

Great article, Lorie! I always love your style. :) Particular parts I really enjoy: the parallel to Henry V (brilliant comparison!) and that Yates noted the religious implications of detention with Umbridge… that’s something that has always stood out to me, so it is truly a relief to see a director who reads the subtext as well as the story (whatever idiot!Gambon says…)

says:

Err.. sorry, but you’d be really naive if you don’t know that the photographers are the ones who tell them how to pose, and how to touch each others, lol, I thought it was common knowledge, lol, haven’t you ever seen any “video” of any of those photoshoots? If you have, you should have noticed how the photographers keep shouting at them to look this way, or stand that way, or lean into each other that way, put you arm here, put your hand there .. blah blah ..
I personally know that info first hand as my big brother works as one of those photographers, and he keeps telling me how hard it’s to tell them to touch each others in a certain way and still look natural or normal enough to pass, lol
If you think they just stand there, eveyone’s all over who they like and standing away from those who they don’t like that much, then you really are a naive, lol, sorry, lol

Eh, and I agree with HP man, these things (like how close or far you are from the camera) make huge diffeences in the final pic, try it yourself with your friends and you’ll see, haha

See you later chaps, don’t have any more time to chit-chat any longer :D
Bye – Bye :)

says:

I listened to the audio (very poor quality) of the press conference. The “kids” seem to be growing up very nicely.

Dan was great and showed his wonderful sense of humor. He was asked if he ever “takes home” the characters he plays. Without missing a beat, he answered Alan Strang is someone you never want to take home.

Emma was very bright and thoughtful, as always. And that dress…GO EMMA!

Rupert was more responsive than I’ve ever seen him. He was asked what he had bought for himself now that he has so much money. He now owns a working ice cream van…GO RUPERT!

says:

Does anyone else get the impression that they just ARE the characters now? Or at least very VERY similar to them. You can tell that Hermione has influenced Emma. That’s not surprising considering she’s been playing her since she was 10-years-old. Go the trio! I can’t wait for more trio adventures in Deathly Hallows (as shown by the illustrations we are getting trio action!)

says:

THAT WAS GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! man it just didn’t talk about the kiss but the scene after that!!!

says:

OT but there is a new virtual tour of umbridges office at aol. Here is a link—- http://movies.aol.com/movie-photo-bts/harry-potter-order-of-phoenix-quicktime-virtual-tour

says:

Great job Lorie! Thank you !

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OMG guys! Seventeen days! I’m getting so excited now! Yay!

says:

no HP man, there is a picture of both Dan and Rupert standing straight (actually Dan is lining against the door, so he is not that straight) and Emma is hangin off Dan’s shoulders and given her back to Rupert, Rupert is NOT far from Dan, it looks like there is a 2 inches in difference between Dan and Rupert and Rupert is not slouching in that pic.

The pose between Dan and Emma can be because of two things, the photographers asking her to do it, or Emma wanting to do it herself, but if the WB is promoting r/hr why not put Rupert and Emma together, it is more like going into what they want to promote on the film, so I guess the photographers want Dan and Emma together because aesthetically they DO look good together or that is the way Emma likes to pose, you cannot blame the girl, Dan is looking very hot!!

says:

Just keep believin’ that, Miia, just keep believin’...

says:

These pictures and interviews were great. Although much better than I expected I still wish TLC’s comments would get better type of responders. It’s always the same lame jealousy comments. Sigh. I still must say that it’s better than usual. Maybe soon it will have the same class as the other major Harry Potter websites.

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I do hate it when fans treat Emma as if she is a big prize to be won by either of the two boys. It’s demeaning and very untrue for we know they are very good friend to one another. I don’t think Emma has any romantic attachment to any of the two, not now anyway and vice-versa. Dan and Emma are always touchy-feely because of the kind of people there are, Rupert is more reserve, that’s all.

I do think Dan is a bit taller tough, not judging by Rupert but in relation to Emma. The difference in height is more noticable now than during ootp shooting as seen from promo pictures, still the two boys are considered average at best comparing to actor generally. More important, however, is the fact that they are good actors and goos persons, not just good-looking.

says:

This sounds awesome! They really sound like they know what they are doing and like they really care about Harry and doing the books justice. That’s so great! And I can’t wait to see the “after-the-kiss” scene, because it seems like it’s going to be really really good. Eek! :)

says:

I agree Kathlin. All three are obviously close but Dan and Emma are just very tactile – but some people always put 2 & 2 together and come up with 5.

At the end of the day, they are all growing up nicely, and their contributions to these interviews shows their individual personalities, which are great.

let’s just PLEASE be proud of them and STOP nit-picking!!!

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OI, what’s your problem..ah never mind a basher will always be a basher…take care oi!

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“Emma tells us that â€˜sometimes I feel I barely have to act’”

Well, that explains a lot.

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I don’t like how it’s always got to be one or the other for the boys. They’re always getting compared but the fact is that they can’t be compared cuz they are both totally different, yet they all seem to get on really well. I hate how there’s always got to be this rivalry thing between the two (and sometimes three) of them when it seems that they are just all really good friends. And watch how Emma seems to know more about Rupert’s ice cream van, even going about it, more than Dan who seems surprised and learns he wants one, too. So Emma and Rupert may be closer than they seem but it doesn’t have to mean anything. I love the dynamic between the three, they seem to share a special friendship that people would be lucky enough to have. And they all seem like wonderful, bright, down-to-earth kids who are unfazed by everything that’s happening to them.

says:

I swear.. Dan Radcliffe is a chameleon. I look at this pics and I see a very youthful, happy, handsome young man so very different from the scruffy, bearded man of the Equus pics. The get up seems to have changed too. He was so painfuly formal in the GOF presscon but now, the formal-informal style works just fine.

And somebody should tell Emma Watson that this is a presscon and not a disco pub. She dressed like she’s going on an all night shindig. Once again – good dress but not worn right. The story of Emma’s fashion mistakes.

Rupert “yeah” Grint is his usual lame self. I say lame cause the laid back, casual stuff doesn’t work anymore. Good thing he has great friends in Dan and Emma. They cover up so many of his gaffs. They are great friends, you know. I can’t for the life of me understand why some people insist on shipping these kids.

says:

Yayy..I can’t wait to see capslock!Harry on screen..haha that’s hilarious. The scene after Harry and Cho’s kiss sounds amazing, I’m excited to see the three of them and know that some of they’re acting was improv.

says:

wonderful report!
i cant wait to see that scene they kept mentioning!!!
and theres a flashback to SS?? ok then…
and who’s that character they “werent allowed” to cut out? we wonders precious, we wonders.

says:

Well Daniel’s done it again. There are several articles online now saying that JKR has told her husband the end of the story, based on this interview with the trio! LOL…sheesh..she may have told her husband, who knows, but it is so crazy that none of the actors, nor anyone else associated with HP can say anything without the press stating it as a given fact. Crazy!!

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wellanotherweasley it usually Emma or Dan who conjure the more attention from the media and are the ones who rebeal the most to the fans, so yes Dan’s quote are use a lot by the media!

says:

I agree that the character, that there had been a threat of writing out, was Kreacher. The audience has already seen quite a bit of a house elf in Movie 2, and in terms of Movie 5 they didn’t really need Kreacher to make Grimmauld Place more grim. And the script writer could have easily had Umbridge suggest to Lucius that Sirius and Harry were close. (Thus helping Lucius formulate a plan to lure Harry to the Ministry.)

Grawp and the multiple centaurs are also expensive like Kreacher, but they are something new and exciting that helped to take care of the Umbridge problem. They are sort of a package deal, but Kreacher sort of stands alone. However, we can’t do Grimmauld Place without Kreacher because I think he’ll be important to finding Slytherin’s “heavy, gold locket.” We can’t return to Grimmauld Place in Movie 7 and all of a sudden there be a house elf if there wasn’t one in Movie 5.

says:

Well as a massive Dan fan, I did notice that he does seemed to have a grown a bit which is a relief because Rupert towered over him at one stage and Emma was looking taller and I was dreding the normal, “he’s a midget, even Emma is taller” stuff, so at least it may not be quite as bad as I thought!

As someone said, stop knick-picking, they are great kids, sound like they are genuinely great friends, are not going out with each other, and have made, what I think will be a mind-blowing film, can’t we just be pleased about that?

GO DAN, EMMA & RUPERT.

P.S: They were doing television interviews afterwards, so that’s probably why Katie was there too.

says:

They are great. Can’t wait to see them in OOTP and in their interviews.

says:

By the way, There was a quite interesting article about Dan in the People newspaper today which is also on their website. I don’t know if it is 100% true, but if it is then I’m very happy for him.